British Educational Research Journal最新文献

Few studies have explored the effects of non-digital gamification on K-12 students' speaking skills, leaving a gap in understanding the effective gamified features for enhancing foreign language speaking. This action research study aimed to improve students' speaking skills through various non-digital gamification activities. The sample consisted of third-grade elementary school students (N = 46) studying in three different classrooms in a public primary school located in a suburban area where one of the researchers worked as an English teacher. In the three-cycle action research process, students participated in gamification activities that included different game elements. The speaking assessment rubric, teacher journals, student journals and a student interview form were used to collect data. The data were analysed through descriptive analysis and open coding to develop codes, sub-themes and themes, providing a detailed understanding of students' English-speaking performances through gamification. The results of the descriptive analysis showed that the speaking performance of most of the students increased, while the speaking performance of a small number of students did not. Student and teacher journals and student interview results showed that the novelty effect of gamification in the first cycle, the luck effect of choosing rewards in the second cycle and the levels in the third cycle affected students' speaking performances. Especially, reward and elimination through the levels negatively affected most students' speaking performance.

Language learning practices have transformed significantly due to the advent of digital technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) tools and gamified mobile applications. This study explored the effects of gamified mobile language learning (GMLL) and AI-assisted language learning (AIALL) on academic integrity, creative trait motivation and writing performance among upper-intermediate English as a foreign language learners. A total of 349 male students were randomly assigned to one of three groups: Experimental Group 1 (GMLL); Experimental Group 2 (AIALL); Control Group (CG). The research employed a quasi-experimental design, with validated pre-tests and post-tests administered to measure the effectiveness of each learning method on academic integrity, creative trait motivation and writing performance. In addition, qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews. Analysis of variance results revealed that both the GMLL and AIALL groups outperformed the CG on post-tests for writing performance, creative trait motivation and academic integrity. The AIALL group showed more pronounced gains across all domains in comparison to both the GMLL group and the CG, highlighting the superior effectiveness of AI-assisted instruction. Qualitative data further revealed improved engagement, motivation to explore creative writing strategies and a deeper understanding of academic integrity in both experimental groups. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of AI and gamified tools to enhance language learning outcomes, offering language educators innovative approaches to foster creative and ethical learning practices.

This study investigates the nature, effectiveness and implications of fee-based private tutoring among primary school students (age 11–12) in rural Kazakhstan, an underexamined context in shadow education research. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory and the ‘new sociology of childhood’, the study employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating survey data (N = 662) with qualitative participatory methods, including group interviews and children's drawings (N = 60). Findings reveal that 43.5% of students received private tutoring, with group tutoring being the most common due to affordability. Unlike their urban counterparts, who primarily seek tutoring for high-stakes exam preparation, rural students used it to strengthen subject comprehension and improve school performance. Some students also identified social and psychological benefits, such as enhanced self-confidence and improved communication skills. They acted agentively by pinpointing its drawbacks, including reduced time for leisure and financial strain on families. These findings highlight the need for policymakers to strengthen rural educational resources and address systemic inequalities that hinder access to selective schools, particularly due to geographical and socioeconomic barriers. Future research should explore the long-term effects of private tutoring on students' academic and socioemotional development, with particular attention to its role in supporting disadvantaged students and those with special educational needs.

The research landscape surrounding Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and education is rapidly expanding, characterised by a dynamic array of themes and sub-themes. This paper aims to construct a comprehensive taxonomy that categorises the current literature on the integration of GenAI in educational settings. To do so, a systematic analysis was conducted first, which filtered and selected 30 pieces of literature. Within this literature, 369 phrases were identified, which culminated in the development of 5 overarching themes and 38 sub-themes. These themes within the systematic review ran parallel to a taxonomy that was developed from them, which subsequently revealed a tension between them. Emphasising an interpretivist approach, this research acknowledges the subjective nature of knowledge formation and interpretation, enhancing understanding of the complex interplay between GenAI and educational practices, with a predominant focus on GenAI in higher education. Unlike previous literature reviews, this paper presents a subsequent taxonomy derived from the systematic review, which holds an original narrative: that a critical tension exists between technical discussions of GenAI and the pedagogical realities faced by educators. This taxonomy presents evidence that supports a notion that the fledging field of ‘GenAI and education’ research has two developing strands: the technical and the pedagogical. Not only are these two strands of foci emerging within the literature, but there is also a growing disconnect or void between the two. Without addressing this almost ‘siloed’ growth, conversations about GenAI's role in education risk becoming overly abstract, lacking practical relevance for educators. By illuminating this tension, this research invites further exploration into how educators can navigate the evolving landscape of GenAI in their classrooms.

The over-saturation of labour markets in some countries has led to a devaluation of university degrees and reshaped the factors determining employability for higher-quality jobs. As a result, the social capital of graduates has emerged as an essential resource in addressing these challenges. This study examines the influence of social capital on the job quality of Chilean university graduates, distinguishing between first-generation (FG) and continuing-generation (CG) graduates. The level of social capital was estimated based on the frequency of contact with professionals and managers. Latent class analysis was employed to identify four distinct classes of job quality. Two multinomial regression models were then estimated, one for FG graduates and one for CG graduates, to assess the impact of social capital on the probability of belonging to each job quality class. The results show that frequent contact with other professionals enhances the likelihood of graduates securing high-quality jobs, with the magnitude of this effect being more pronounced for CG graduates. Frequent contact with managers is relevant for FG graduates but not for CG graduates. These findings demonstrate the persistence of socioeconomic inequalities once graduates enter the labour market. However, they also highlight the role of social capital in levelling the playing field for access to good jobs.

The purpose of ‘doing’ education is often unconsidered or assumed in educational thinking and practice, despite the diversity of understandings. Gert Biesta's perspective that education has a threefold purpose of qualification, socialisation and subjectification is among the most known. However, the interpretation of Biesta's thinking is challenging, namely, due to intrinsic complexity and contradiction between the domains of purpose and a loose use of the author's theory that tends to conflate and overlook core elements of each purpose. The current work proposes an innovative framework to support the understanding and application of Biesta's three purposes of education and is a contribution in overcoming the theoretical and empirical constraints faced. The framework proposed is composed of two levels: a theoretical level, resulting from the deductive interpretation of Biesta's thinking on purpose, where the core domains and subdomains of education are depicted; and an empirical level, resulting from the application of the framework to research data, in which a potential expansion of the three purposes is presented. Overall, this original work demonstrated the framework's adequacy as an analytical tool for education research on the issue of purpose and the adaptability of Biesta's theory and the framework developed to future studies.

The study investigated the relationships between students' grit, academic engagement, motivation and self-regulated learning (SRL). It explored the mediating role of academic motivation and SRL in the relationship between students' grit and academic engagement. Understanding these dynamics can help educators foster environments that enhance student engagement through targeted interventions. A predictive correlational design was used to model the relationships among the variables. Stratified random sampling selected 190 senior high school students from the Kwahu Afram Plains District in Ghana. Data were collected using validated instruments: the University Student Engagement Inventory (USEI); Academic Grit Scale (AGS); Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ); and Self-Regulated Learning Scale (SRLS). Analysis was performed using partial least squares structural equation modelling to handle non-normality in the data. The results indicated that academic grit positively influenced academic motivation (β = 0.631, p < 0.001), academic engagement (β = 0.320, p = 0.001) and SRL (β = 0.756, p < 0.001). Academic motivation and SRL partially mediated the relationship between grit and academic engagement. The model demonstrated strong reliability and validity, with significant indicator loadings and acceptable variance inflation factors, indicating no multicollinearity issues. Grit significantly impacts academic engagement directly and indirectly through academic motivation and SRL. These findings highlight the importance of fostering grit, motivation and self-regulation in students to enhance their academic engagement. Hence, educators are encouraged to design cognitive-behavioural interventions to promote these attributes in order to ultimately improve educational outcomes.

This paper examines how children's agency operates within primary education in England through an in-depth qualitative study of three contrasting schools over two years. While children's right to participate in decisions affecting their education is increasingly recognised internationally, its practical implementation within formal education systems remains challenging. Drawing on critical realism and extensive empirical evidence, including classroom observations, interviews with school leadership and teachers, and innovative participatory methods capturing children's own voices, this study reveals how different institutional approaches create varying opportunities for children's agency. Through analysing structural conditions, daily practices, and children's experiences across two academic years, the research demonstrates how agency emerges through complex interactions between educational structures and children's lived experiences. The findings reveal that supporting children's agency does not require choosing between agency and structure; rather, thoughtfully designed structures can enable meaningful participation while maintaining educational standards. The paper presents the concept of ‘structured freedom’—a practical framework for systematically supporting children's agency through four key principles: three-domain integration, choice architecture, systematic mechanisms for agency, and experiential development. This study offers both theoretical insights into how children's agency operates within educational structures and practical guidance for schools navigating the tensions between enabling children's agency and meeting standardised requirements.

The shift towards student-centred learning in physical education (PE) underscores the importance of fostering supportive classroom climates that enhance engagement and motivation. Traditional teacher-centred approaches often emphasise performance goals, misaligning with contemporary educational paradigms prioritising holistic student development. This study examined the impact of a professional development intervention on classroom climates in PE, focusing on learning- and performance-oriented climates fostered by teachers and peers. Using a difference-in-differences approach with ordinary least squares regression models, data from 588 students across 43 classes in 12 Portuguese schools were analysed. The intervention involved a 25-h continuing professional development (CPD) programme that equipped teachers with student-centred pedagogical strategies. Post-training, these strategies were implemented and data were collected through the Learning and Performance Orientations in Physical Education Classes Questionnaire, comparing an experimental group (n = 390) to a control group (n = 198). The intervention significantly improved the learning climate, with higher scores for teacher- and peer-fostered learning climates (learning climate fostered by the teacher [LCT]: coefficient = 0.154, p = 0.001; learning climate fostered by peers [LCS]: coefficient = 0.186, p = 0.001). However, no significant changes were found in performance climates (performance climate fostered by the teacher [PCT], performance climate fostered by peers [PCS]). Low R² values (0.005–0.016) indicated that other factors influenced classroom climate, underscoring its complexity. This research highlights the effectiveness of student-centred models in enhancing learning climates and the potential of CPD programmes to transform instructional practices. While limited effects were observed on performance climates, the findings emphasise the value of prioritising learning-centred environments to promote student engagement and intrinsic motivation. Future research should investigate long-term impacts and address diverse student needs to further optimise training programmes and advance PE pedagogy.

Teachers' conceptions of fairness influence their approaches to assessment. Perceptions of fairness underpin how teachers legitimate their values and provide reasons for teachers to defend assessment decisions and actions. This study therefore examined fairness conceptions at a critical stage in teachers' journey towards assessment capacity: their perceptions as teacher candidates. Specifically, we investigated 228 preservice teachers' conceptions of assessment fairness using the Classroom Assessment Fairness Inventory (CAFI). The results of an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) showed four factors: assessment communication acts, grading decisions, responses to cheating and firm assessment decisions. These factors highlighted the domains and underpinning principles of fairness that participating preservice teachers used to evaluate issues of fairness in assessment. The results provide initial empirical foundations to promote nuanced understandings of fairness in assessment education.